Have you ever borrowed any tips or tricks?

[Lizzie]

Hello everyone,

If you are like me, I'm always on the lookout for tips and tricks that I can borrow or make my own in some way or another. I would say in general that most of us are looking for suggestions to improve ourselves, be it for everyday things, such as the use of our PC, or as here in the Community Center for hosting. 

How is it with you, especially for hosting? Have you ever 'borrowed' some hospitality tips and tricks?

Looking forward to hearing from you, and of course the tips and tricks you borrowed! 🙂

Thanks,

Lizzie

[Huma0]

I think I am going to start asking guests to make sure they hang the used towels on the hooks provided. Otherwise, they often leave the wet ones on top of my clean towels (why??!!). I also spent half an hour last night trying to find where a guest had left her towels. She had put them on hangers in the wardrobe, even though there are hooks on the door, towel rails in every bathroom etc. 

The bathtub thing doesn't work for me as I have more than one guest room in my house so don't really want a pile of used towels in the bath.

[Karina-Каринa0]

I have learned a million things from other hosts, I am really grateful for this forum. You all are so helpful.

I actually have one tip you all can copy.

I have a lot of hand-written notes in the apartment. For example, when a guest is leaving early, I set the table and fill the coffee machine and put a note on top of it "just press the power button".

I also have a note in front of the hand-washing liquid saying: "please, don´t spend your precious  time washing dishes. The dishwasher will be happy to do it for you"

Dozens of guests have commented on the notes, saying that it gives them a feeling they are personally welcomed and taken care of. The emphasis seems to be on the "hand-written" even though I use the same cardboard notes over and over. Guests feel they are written especially for them and seem to be really impressed.

[Sarah977]

@Karina-Каринa0   Haha, I'd be one of those guests who washed my dishes by hand anyway. I've never owned a dishwasher and when I stay with friends or family, always have to ask them how to work the dishwasher, even though they showed me the year before when I visited. It always seemed to me like it takes just as much time to load the dishwasher (and everyone I know who has one is continually rearranging the dishes in it to maximize space) and unload it, as it takes to just wash them up by hand. But they are a great place to hide the dirty dishes, which would otherwise be piling up on the counter 🙂

[Devin-and-Sarah0]

Hi Lizzie!,

We have definitely borrowed some tips and tricks from other hosts when we first started hosting on Airbnb. So I would love to take the time to share a few of our favorite tips:

1. Read All Guest Reviews - By reading your guest reviews, you will find out pretty quickly from other hosts if they have misbehaved during any of their previous stays. Hosts watch out for each other!

2. Send Your Guests A Message When They Book - We have found if you send a simple message like "Thank you for booking with us, we will have everything ready upon your arrival". Your guest is much less likely to cancel on you, even if they found a better deal on Airbnb.

3. Use A Key-less Lock Pad or Keybox – I think every host should have a key-less entry, it just gives Airbnb hosts more options in case you can't check your guests in yourself. Also is a lot safer since your guests can't duplicate the key and you can change the code once your guests check out.

4. Add Selling Features In Your Airbnb Bio – If you have a park across the street, mention it in your bio. It could be your local shopping mall with a grocery store and coffee shop. Even a nice walking path around your neighborhood. Mention what luxuries you have as a selling feature and get more guests.

5. Remember Extra Supplies – We have stayed at Airbnb's where we've run out of toilet paper. For us, it would have been too awkward to ask the host for more so we bought some ourselves. This is just for toilet paper, leave your guests extra of the essentials.

These tips are just a few. To be honest we found most of our tricks and tips from forums and all over the internet. Since then I have put together a blog post of around 30 tips. Here is our url: www.airbnbuniverse.com/airbnb-tips-for-hosting

[Karina-Каринa0]

Devin and Sarah,

great comments. I love the feature of Airbnb where you can set up a "reservation message" which is automatically sent to anyone who books. My reservation message thanks them for choosing my place and says that I will be sending there more exact arrival instrutcions and info later on.

[Ananda14]

Hi Lizzie,

the tip I fell in love with is to use the last four digits of guests phone number for their keyless entry code. 

Happy hosting

Ananda

[Tiwana1]

Hi. Stealing this. Thank you.

[Mike11]

We are asked by Airbnb to supply shampoo & conditioner in the bathroom/shower.

I have gone for the BIGGEST bottle of each that I can find (within reason) so that guests do not pack them in, thinking that they are give-aways. I just top them up for each new occupation.

[Lisa1539]

I purchased the stands they have in newer resorts and fill them 

[Mike11]

Also

I have set the minimum stay as 3 days over weekends and 2 nights otherwise.

This stops the party crowd getting together to rent upmarket accommodation over weekends. 

[Devin-and-Sarah0]

[Sarah977]

@Devin-and-Sarah0   There is a funny list of complaints that the Thomas Cook travel agency has received from clients, you can Google it. One of the complaints was that, although the kitchen was advertised as fully equipped, there was no egg slicer 🙂

[Devin-and-Sarah0]

haha. I'll check that out. An egg slicer eh?

[Karina-Каринa0]

Holy macaroni. I hope it at least had an egg boiler  😉 (which I think is a pretty useless gadget cluttering your countertop)

[Sarah977]

And don't forget the melon baller 🙂